November 2011
31 posts
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Record of the month: Terveissä ympyröissä 7", 1978
The Kasper Stromman Design Blog record of the month is the Terveissä ympyröissä 7” published by Suomen Koripalloliitto (Finnish Basketball Association) in 1978. It’s quite awful by any standards.
On the A side there’s a kind of faux 50s rock’n’roll track about the joys of basketball, which was kind of expected. But the real atrocity is the B side with it’s...
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Risk management design
This is an insurance policy guide book. Could sombody please tell us here at the Kasper Stromman Design Blog what the hell is going on in the picture?
“Help! My son is all wet and we have a letter box! Where can I claim?”
“Sir. It has come to our intention that this young child is not actually your son. We’re afraid this is considered fraud.”
“Okay, okay, so maybe he’s not my...
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Magazine of the month: Autojen maailma, 1966
The Kasper Stromman Design Blog magazine of the month is the nice looking Autojen maailma from 1966. It was published by car importer Berner Oy, who is cleverly trying to disguise this 30 page car ad as a normal magazine.
The magazine sure enough starts off by reporting on current automotive trends. By the way, when are we finally going to get these fantasy vehicles we have been promised...
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Design food classics #1: Munavelli
The classic Finnish dish of munavelli manages to capture the essence of Scandinavian design in its very being: we’re talking the marriage of the perfectly shaped egg to the pureness of fresh milk, with nothing more than a hint of salt to seal the bond.
And then of course some butter, flour and sugar thrown in for good measure.
This would indeed be the perfect designer food if it...
Anonymous asked: Hi Kasper Stromman design blog! What are your favourite design blogs?
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Top 5 celebrity endorsed drinks
5. Leningrad Cowboy beer, 1994–?
The Leningrad Cowboys is a Finnish novelty band that performs covers of popular songs, often featuring a Russian military band. In 1994, at the height of their popularity, they also released their own brand of beer.
Nobody knows if it’s still on the market since noone cares, but the damage was quickly done. Because now other artists realized they could do...
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The raanu top 5
A raanu is a traditional woven wall hanging, more specifically something the older generation would hang on the wall before there was flat screen TVs.
Here’s the thing though; a lot of times there isn’t anything good on TV. A raanu may then present itself as a very valid option.
That’s why we here at the Kasper Stromman Design Blog have chosen our top 5. For reference we...
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Postcards from Finland #10
SUOMI FINLAND Tapiolan puutarhakaupunki Sunnitteilja ja rakennuttaja Asuntosäätiö
Tapiola Garden City Planner and builder Housing Foundation Asuntosäätiö
Saatavana myös kuultokuvana Available also in colour slide
KUULTOKUVA Helsinki 5 - väripainos
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Shittiest christmas present of 1984
Apparently the Angry Birds board game is the must have gift this christmas. Not so in 1984 – back then the Liikennekehä (ring road) game was all the rage.
The idea behind this game is very sober – what better way to ease your child into a life of commuting than by presenting him or her with a game that simulates the cold reality of travelling to work? This game really puts ‘bored’ back in...
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Top 5 christmas presents of 2011
Hey, guess what – christmas is only a month away. That’s why we here at the Kasper Stromman Design blog have chosen the top 5 must have presents this year, using the AMO catalogue.
5. Rubik’s cube
As of 2009, 350 million Rubik’s Cubes have been sold worldwide. We’re not mathematicians here at the Kasper Stromman Design Blog, but that means every household in Finland...
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Top 3 Helsinki found street drinks
3. Coca-Cola
Yeah yeah, not a very Helsinki specific beverage, you might say. But what about the not one but two black BMWs driving in the background? Now who’s mundane?
2. Protein drink
“Look, with these biceps I can easily hoist this empty bottle on top of the parking meter. Just watch me!”
1. Pint of beer
This beer may be infested with AIDS and cancer, but we still think...
rabidraccoons asked: How about you do a feature on (for example) hideously ugly churches in Finland? Pihlajamäki church in Helsinki comes to mind foremost, but probably because I just don't know of others. The church in Pihlajamäki has avoided the traditional nordic cliches of birch and looking good, so it would be a fine place to start.
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Coffee in Finland – a brief history
1929 First shipment of coffee beans arrive at Kotka harbour. People are unfamiliar with this novelty, and the hearty stews prepared from the beans are considered uneatable.
1931 A portuguese sailor named Jorge teaches locals how to roast and grind the beans. Jorge is given the key to the city and is made mayor of Kotka. The city soon goes bankrupt as Jorge is pretty much useless at anytning...
Anonymous asked: vulkan
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Websites of the presidential candidates – an...
Finland is up for a presidential election in January next year. We here at the Kasper Stromman Design Blog don’t have a strong opinion of the candidate most fit for the job as now, but we do have an opinion of their websites. Here’s an overview:
Sauli Niinistö
As a poll favourite, Sauli Niinistö of the National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) likes to send out a chilled message. “Oh...
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Children's clothing: where are the previous owners...
Sometimes we here at the Kasper Stromman Design Blog will pick up some pre-owned children’s clothing. Nothing weird about that. Often these items of clothing are labeled with the child’s name. If you are anything like us you may ask yourself: where are they now?
Juha Hakala
To get on with this investigation we assembled a highly trained crack team of Kasper Stromman intelligence...
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Postcards from Finland #9
LEPOLAMPI LOMAHOTELLI 30 KM HELSINGISTÄ LÄNTEEN VANHAA TURUNTIETÄ SEMESTERHOTEL 30 KM VÄSTEROM HELSINGFORS, HUVUDVÄG 1 HOLIDAY HOTEL 19 MILES WEST OF HELSINKI BY MAIN ROAD 1 FERIEN-HOTEL 30 KM WESTLICH VON HELSINKI AUF DEM HAUPTWEG NR. 1
KUVAAJA: U.LAPPI
Anonymous asked: Dear Kasper Stromman, why does the hand on the bras plates at the doors of finnish restaurant cars have 6 fingers?
